Have you ever wondered why some plants turn out better products than others? It has a lot to do with the workers they hire, but it also has to do with the way they care for their equipment. If you keep your equipment in good shape, the products you turn out will be more consistent — and that is true in most any industry. Train your workers to keep the space around their equipment clean and clear. Remind them to lubricate their machines and report any abnormalities ASAP. As you read on this blog, we hope you gain a better understanding of industrial equipment, the care it requires, and related topics.
If you're opening a restaurant for the first time, designing the kitchen can often be one of the most exciting and challenging aspects of the entire process. Your kitchen design will affect nearly every aspect of your business, so you must weigh your decisions carefully. However, designing your kitchen for safety is just as essential as designing it for efficiency.
Your fire suppression system will be one of your kitchen's most important safety elements and one that most jurisdictions will closely regulate. While you should always work with a professional fire suppression company to handle your design, you'll want to keep these four major considerations in mind during the process.
1. Fire Hazard Classification
Are all fires the same? If you're a professional in the food service industry, you know that the answer is an emphatic "no!" Fires fall into several classes, including common commercial kitchen hazards such as chemicals, electricity, and oils or fats. Not all fire suppression methods are suitable for all fires, and certain methods may become dangerous when used for the wrong fire class.
A critical part of fire suppression design is identifying all potential hazards in your kitchen and classifying them according to the most suitable suppression methods.
2. Additional Risks
While equipment in the kitchen is the primary risk when dealing with fire suppression, it's crucial to consider areas where a fire may spread. Flammable materials such as wood, curtains, and other objects outside the kitchen can provide fuel for rapidly spreading flames. Fires that spread beyond the kitchen can rapidly engulf an entire room or building.
Any fire suppression design must account for flammable areas that may allow a fire to spread quickly to other parts of the building.
3. Adequate Training
Your fire suppression system is only part of the immediate response to any fire in your kitchen. Grease or electrical fires can be particularly hazardous, so it's crucial to train employees to understand how to react to these situations. Employees must understand your suppression equipment's role and the appropriate actions to take if a fire breaks out in the kitchen.
Remember that basic training is necessary not only for your employees to know how to respond to a fire but also so they know how to keep themselves, their coworkers, and your customers safe.
4. Maintenance and Accessibility
Fire suppression equipment requires periodic maintenance, and your employees must be able to access equipment such as fire extinguishers quickly and easily in emergencies. These considerations are crucial when designing your fire suppression system, as an inability to maintain or access the system can drastically reduce its effectiveness in an emergency.
Fire suppression system design is complex, even for small commercial kitchens. Always work with an experienced company when choosing equipment for your kitchen to ensure that it can keep your kitchen safe while meeting all local regulations and laws.
Contact a professional to learn more about fire suppression systems.